Methods: 21 day old male Sprague Dawley rats were assigned as Experiment-1 & 2 - PND rats were divided into 4 groups with interventions for 7 months (n = 8/group). NC- Normal control fed normal chow diet; OB- Obese group, fed high fat diet; OB + CHO + DHA- fed high fat diet and oral supplementation of choline, DHA. OB + EE- fed high fat diet along with exposure to enriched environment .Experiment-2 had similar groups and interventions as experiment 1 but for next 5 months were fed normal chow diet without any interventions. Body mass index was assessed and blood was analyzed for serum lipid profile. Common Carotid Artery (CCA) was processed for Haematoxylin and eosin, Verhoff Vangeison stains. Images of tissue sections were analyzed and quantified using image J and tissue quant software.
Results: In experiment.1, mean body mass index (p
DESIGN: Randomised double-blind counterbalanced crossover.
METHODS: Eighteen recreationally active men (mean±SD; age: 24.7±4.8 years old; body-weight, BW: 67.1±6.1kg; height: 171.7±4.9cm) performed a cycling time-trial on an electromagnetically-braked cycle ergometer. Participants were instructed to complete the individualised total work in the shortest time possible, while ingesting either BCAAs (pre-exercise: 0.084gkg-1 BW; during exercise: 0.056gkg-1h-1) or a non-caloric placebo solution. Rating of perceived exertion, power, cadence and heart rate were recorded throughout, while maximal voluntary contraction, muscle voluntary activation level and electrically evoked torque using single and doublet stimulations were assessed at baseline, immediately post-exercise and 20-min post-exercise.
RESULTS: Supplementation with BCAA reduced (287.9±549.7s; p=0.04) time-to-completion and ratings of perceived exertion (p≤0.01), while concomitantly increasing heart rate (p=0.02). There were no between-group differences (BCAA vs placebo) in any of the neuromuscular parameters, but significant decreases (All p≤0.01) in maximal voluntary contraction, muscle voluntary activation level and electrically evoked torque (single and doublet stimulations) were recorded immediately following the trial, and these did not recover to pre-exercise values by the 20min recovery time-point.
CONCLUSIONS: Compared to a non-caloric placebo, acute BCAA supplementation significantly improved performance in cycling time-trial among recreationally active individuals without any notable changes in either central or peripheral factors. This improved performance with acute BCAA supplementation was associated with a reduced rating of perceived exertion.
METHODS: Forty-two female Sprage-Dawley rats were randomized into 7 groups (6 in each group). The ovariectomized (OVX) and OVX + 6%, 3%, and 1.5% EBN and OVX +estrogen groups were given standard rat chow alone, standard rat chow +6%, 3%, and 1.5% EBN, or standard rat chow +estrogen therapy (0.2mg/kg per day), respectively. The sham-operation group was surgically opened without removing the ovaries. The control group did not have any surgical intervention. After 12 weeks of intervention, blood samples were taken for serum estrogen, osteocalcin, and osteoprotegerin, as well as the measurement of magnesium, calcium abd zinc concentrations. While femurs were removed from the surrounding muscles to measure bone mass density using the X-ray edge detection technique, then collected for histology and estrogen receptor (ER) immunohistochemistry.
RESULTS: Ovariectomy altered serum estrogen levels resulting in increased food intake and weight gain, while estrogen and EBN supplementation attenuated these changes. Ovariectomy also reduced bone ER expression and density, and the production of osteopcalcin and osteorotegerin, which are important pro-osteoplastic hormones that promote bone mineraliztion and density. Conversely, estrogen and EBN increased serum estrogen levels leading to increased bone ER expression, pro-osteoplastic hormone production and bone density (all P<0.05).
CONCLUSION: EBN could be used as a safe alternative to hormone replacement therapys for managing menopausal complications like bone degeneration.
METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between March and May 2019 among the elderly aged ≥60 years old. The participants with the following criteria were included in the study: aged ≥60 years, residing in Puncak Alam and able to understand Malay or English language. Data were collected using a pre-validated questionnaire. All statistical analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS ver. 23.
RESULTS: Overall, 336 out of 400 elderly responded to the survey, achieving a response rate of 84%. This study observed that almost 50% of the respondents were using at least one type of HDS in the past one month of the survey. Among HDS non-users, most of them preferred to use modern medicines (62.6%, 114/182). Among the HDS users, 75.3% (116/154) were using at least one type of modern medicine (prescription or over-the-counter medicine). Multivariate analysis showed that having good to excellent perceived health (adjusted OR = 2.666, 95% CI = 1.592-4.464), having felt sick at least once in the past one month (adjusted OR = 2.500, 95% CI = 1.426-4.383), and lower body mass index (adjusted OR = 0.937, 95% CI = 0.887-0.990) were associated with HDS use. It was noted that only a small percentage of HDS users (16.2%, 25/154) had informed healthcare providers on their HDS use.
CONCLUSION: The use of HDS is common among the elderly sampled. Hence, healthcare providers should be more vigilant in seeking information of HDS use for disease management in their elderly patients. Campaigns that provide accurate information regarding the appropriate use of HDS among the elderly are pertinent to prevent misinformation of the products.
METHODS: Adult patients undergoing pelvic radiation were recruited and randomly assigned to receive supplementation of either 10 g of PHGG or placebo (maltodextrin) twice daily, 14 days prior and 14 days during pelvic radiation. Diarrhea frequency, fecal samples, nutrition status, and QoL were assessed at baseline and days 14, 28 (2 weeks after pelvic radiation), and 45 (at the completion of pelvic radiation, 2 weeks' postsupplementation).
RESULTS: A total of 30 patients (mean age 56.5 ± 10.8 years, 75% malnourished) participated. The mean of diarrhea frequency in the intervention group (IG) was higher compared with the control group (CG) from days 14 and 28 but reduced at day 45. There was a significant intervention effect after controlling for confounders (ie, baseline diarrhea, age, nutrition status) (P < .05). Bifidobacterium count increased by double among the IG at 14 days of PHGG supplementation, whereas such trend was not observed in the CG.
CONCLUSION: Supplementation of PHGG potentially increased the bifidobacterial count and seemed to have post-supplementation effects by reducing the frequency of diarrhea upon the completion of pelvic radiation treatment.
METHODS: A systematic literature review was performed on 5 databases from inception up to 31 December 2019. These interactions were classified depending on the likelihood of interaction and supporting evidences.
RESULTS: A total of 149 articles describing 78 herbs, food or dietary supplements were reported to interact with warfarin. These reports described potentiation with 45 (57.7%) herbs, food or dietary supplements while 23 (29.5%) reported inhibition and 10 (12.8%) reported limited impact on warfarin pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Twenty unique herb and dietary supplements also reported to result in minor bleeding events, such as purpura and gum bleeding as well as major events such as intracranial bleeding that led to death.
CONCLUSION: While most food, herbs and supplements can be safely taken in moderation, healthcare professionals should be aware of the increased risk of bleeding when taking several food and herbs. These include Chinese wolfberry, chamomile tea, cannabis, cranberry, chitosan, green tea, Ginkgo biloba, ginger, spinach, St. John's Wort, sushi and smoking tobacco. Patients should be counselled to continue to seek advice from their healthcare professionals when starting any new herbs, food or supplement.